Garments with adjustable waists

ABSTRACT

An adjustable waist permanently affixed to various articles of clothing including but not limited to jeans, slacks and skirts. The waist incorporates use of heavy duty elastic and hook and loop fasteners to achieve an adjustable fit. The waist consists of two panels referred to as the front and rear panels. The distal ends of the rear panel, referred to as distal tabs, are affixed with hook material while the front panel is affixed with the corresponding loop material. The distal tabs of the back panel affixed with hook material connect to the loop material affixed to the front panel at relative different positions for an adjustable fit. The adjustable waist will also provide support of the abdominal area for the wearer of the garment.

REFERENCES CITED US Patent Documents

RE9038 January 1880 Spies 280,444 July 1883 Bush 362,565 May 1887 Yarwood 464,826 December 1891 Kuhn 1,709,508 April 1929 Weiner et al 1,832,687 November 1931 Boshnack 2,206,505 July 1940 Klein 2,585,175 February 1952 Rosenberg 3,110,903 November 1963 Burchard 4,364,124 December 1982 Barna 4,803,740 February 1989 Dawson 4,893,358 January 1990 Bice, Jr. 5,283,910 February 1994 Flint 5,946,730 September 1999 Blair 6,292,950 September 2001 Mentone 6,311,333 November 2001 Batra 6,367,086 April 2002 Woodard 6,839,913 January 2005 Villalobos 2004/0210987 October 2004 Carney 2006/0010571 January 2006 Oakley 2007/0028364 February 2007 Oomae 7,516,499 April 2009 Gardner

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC OR APPENDIX

Not Applicable

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a garment in which the waist is adjustable.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The subject matter of this patent application is a unique waist on articles of clothing such as jeans, slacks and skirts, but not limited thereto. The problem that this invention seeks to remedy is one which is encountered by every woman who is pregnant or has just had a child, or anyone who is in the process of losing or gaining weight. For example, a pregnant woman's waist size is continually growing during pregnancy and then continually shrinking post-pregnancy. Thus, she undergoes several waist size changes during this time which requires the purchase of several pairs of jeans, slacks, and skirts. This invention allows the article of clothing to be adjusted up or down in waist size thereby eliminating the need to have multiple pairs of the same article of clothing in different sizes. The nature of the materials from which the waistband is constructed, namely heavy duty elastic, will also provide the wearer of the garment support of the abdominal area.

There are many pregnancy jeans/slacks/skirts presently on the market, however, they are flawed in that they do not fit during each and every stage of pregnancy and post-partum. Typically, pregnancy and post-pregnancy clothes have waist bands made of spandex material. Due to the fact that spandex has a limited amount of stretch inherent in the material, pregnancy clothing made with spandex waistbands do not fit well during all stages of pregnancy and post-pregnancy. Additionally, spandex does not provide any support of the abdominal area. During the first part of the pregnancy, a spandex waistband will be too loose and the article of clothing will not fit well or stay on. During the latter stages of pregnancy, the spandex waistband may become too tight and uncomfortable. Conversely, when the woman-starts to lose weight post pregnancy the spandex waistband may be too wide and may not fit once again. Therefore, a woman usually will need to acquire several pairs of pregnancy jeans/slacks/skirts for the various stages of pregnancy and post-pregnancy. This invention will allow the waist to grow and shrink with the woman's body during pregnancy and post-pregnancy for a good fit, maximum comfort and support. Again, it will also eliminate the need to purchase multiple pairs of the same clothing thereby creating a cost saving.

Prior but distinguishable inventions include:

U.S. Pat. No. 5,283,910 disclosing a garment with an elastic band that extends through a tubular casing at the waist section of the garment. A free end of the elastic band is selectively attachable to respective fasteners that are spaced apart along the waist section of the garment;

U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,358 disclosing an adjustable waist accomplished by folding portions of a garment upon itself and fastening folded portions by means of hook and loop fasteners;

U.S. Pat. No. 7,516,499 disclosing a garment having an adjustable waist with an opening intersecting a waist section of the garment, a panel bridging across the opening, and a closure mechanism.

See also references cited above.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A garment with an adjustable waist consisting of two distinct panels referred to as the front and rear panels. The lower lateral edge of the front and rear panels are sewn permanently into the front and rear sections of the garment respectively. The lower lateral edge of back panel is sewn into the garment on the back portion of the garment at hip height, except for the distal ends of the rear panel, referred to as distal tabs, which are free for manipulation. The front and rear panels are made of heavy duty elastic encased in stretchy, moisture absorbing fabric. The surface of the distal tabs closest to the body of the wearer of the garment when the adjustable waist is in a fastened position are affixed with strips of hook material such as Velcro®. The surface of the front panel facing away from the body of the wearer of the garment is covered entirely in the loop material such as Velcro®. The front and back panels are held together by gussets made of stretchy material such as spandex located at the hip area. The gussets are intended to hold the garment in place while the waist is properly adjusted and fitted by means described below. The distal tabs, by means of the strips of loop material affixed to the distal tabs, fasten to the hook material covering the front panel at relative different positions for an adjustable fit. The adjustable waist will also provide support of the abdominal area for the wearer of the garment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a front view of the garment showing a pair of jeans or slacks affixed with the adjustable waist in an unfastened position. The figure demonstrates the distal tabs of the back panel which are free for manipulation. The surface of the distal tabs of the rear panel closest to the body of the wearer of the garment when the adjustable waistband is in a fastened position are affixed with strips of hook material such as Velcro®. The surface of the front panel facing away from the body of the wearer of the garment is covered entirely in the loop material such as Velcro®. The front and back panels are held together by gussets made of stretchy material such as spandex located at the hip area. The gussets are intended to hold the garment in place while the waist is properly adjusted and fitted.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the garment showing a pair of jeans or slacks affixed with the adjustable waist in the fastened position, wherein the distal tabs of the back panel which are affixed with hook material are fastened over the front panel that is covered by the loop material.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the garment disclosing the adjustable waist in an unfastened position.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the garment showing a pair of jeans or slacks disclosing the rear panel and distal tabs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A garment with an adjustable waist consisting of two distinct panels referred to as the front (1) and rear (2) panels. The lower lateral edge of the front and rear panels (3, 4) are sewn permanently into the front and rear sections of the garment respectively. In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the lower lateral edge of the front panel (3) is curved and sewn into the garment from hip to hip in the front portion of the garment, dipping below the abdominal area, however this can vary depending on the type of garment or the styling of the garment. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the lower lateral edge of back panel (4) is sewn into the garment on the back portion of the garment at hip height, however this can vary depending on the type of garment or the styling of the garment. The rear panel (2) is sewn to the garment from hip to hip on the rear portion of the garment except for the distal ends of the rear panel, referred to as distal tabs (6), which are free for manipulation. In the preferred embodiment of this invention, the front (1) and rear (2) panels are made of heavy duty elastic encased in stretchy, moisture absorbing fabric. The surface of the distal tabs closest to the body of the wearer of the garment when the adjustable waist is in a fastened position (7) are affixed with strips of hook material such as Velcro® (7). The surface of the front panel facing away from the body of the wearer of the garment (8) is covered entirely in the loop material such as Velcro® (8). The front (1) and back (2) panels are held together by gussets (9) made of stretchy material such as spandex located at the hip area. The gussets (9) are intended to hold the garment in place while the waist is properly adjusted and fitted by means described below. The distal tabs (6), by means of the strips of loop material affixed to the distal tabs (7) fasten to the hook material covering the front panel (8) at relative different positions for an adjustable fit. The adjustable waist will also provide support of the abdominal area for the wearer of the garment. In the preferred embodiment of this invention all Velcro type material (7, 8) are sewn onto the respective panels (1, 2) and distal tabs (6), however, the Velcro material (7, 8) can also be affixed to the respective panels and distal tabs by glue or other means. The outer edges of the front (1) and rear (2) panels are encased in finished piping (11). In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the adjustable waist is sewn into the garment at four inches above the inseam or crotch seam (12), however, this can vary depending on the type of garment or the styling of the garment. In this embodiment of the invention, the front (1) and rear (2) panels are five and four inches in height respectively, however, this can vary depending on the type of garment or the styling of the garment. The height of the panels will provide varying degrees of support of the abdominal area for the wearer of the garment.

Although the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the claims should be construed broadly to include other variations and embodiments of the invention which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of the invention. All such modifications and additions are deemed within the scope of this invention. 

1. A garment with an adjustable waist comprising: two distinct panels referred to as the front and rear panels made of heavy duty elastic encased in stretchy, moisture absorbing fabric; the front and back panels being held together by gussets made of stretchy material such as spandex located at the hip area; the lower lateral edge of the front and rear panels being sewn permanently into the front and rear sections of the garment respectively; the lower lateral edge of the front panel being curved and sewn into the garment from hip to hip in the front portion of the garment, dipping below the abdominal area; the lower lateral edge of back panel being sewn into the garment on the back portion of the garment at hip height except for the distal ends of the back panel, referred to as distal tabs, which are free for manipulation; the surface of the distal tabs of the rear panel closest to the body of the wearer of the garment when the adjustable waistband is in a fastened position being affixed with strips of hook material such as Velcro®; the surface of the front panel facing away from the body of the wearer of the garment being covered entirely in the loop material such as Velcro®; and the distal tabs, by means of the strips of loop material affixed to the tabs, fasten to the hook material covering the front panel at relative different positions for an adjustable fit and providing the abdominal area support. 